Pressure seal



l 1949- w. KASTEN PRESSURE SEAL Filed March 29, 1946 Patented Sept. 6,1949 PRESSURE SEAL Walter Kasten, Franklin, Mich., assignorto RenniksCompany, Detroit, Micln, a copartnership composed of Ralph L. Skinner,Caroline '1. Skinner, Ralph L. Skinner, Jr., and Robert T.

Skinner Application March 29, 1946, Serial No. 658,005

2 Claims. (Cl. 286-26) The current invention pertains to certain novelstructural advantages and new-born functional betterments inpressure-sealing means or gaskets of the round, hollow, resilient,metal, reed type wherein truncated-cone reed-means suitably mounted onone of two companion relativelymovable or reciprocatory interfittingcylindrical members bears edgewise on the round surface of the othermember in order to adequately and efiectively seal the fluid-pressurepresent against leakage or escape.

In developing pressure-seals of this general form, it was discoveredthat the flexibility or elasticity of the sealing-reeds, when aplurality of such reeds were employed in nested or interflttingrelation, was somewhat impaired or reduced by reason of the wearingedge-portions of the reeds being in constant contact with one another.

To overcome this difllculty, it was discovered to be desirable to employspacers between the reeds, but it was also discommodiously ordisadvantageously found that, in grinding or finishing the operativeedges or the reeds, very small particles of the reeds or seals enteredthe spaces between the reeds, and, when the seal was placed in service,these minute particles, flecks or specks would gradually work out intothe spaces between the reeds and the contact member which was beingsealed causing a scoring or scratching and it is to overcome some ofthese defects that the present invention was discovered and developed inthat the spacing otherwise made the seal function very much moreeiiiciently and effectively and more positively.

To enable those acquainted with this artto understand the inventionfully from all angles, a resent, preferred, physical embodiment thereofhas been illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawing, forming apart of this specification and to which reference should be had inconnection with the following description of its illustrations, and, forthe sake of clearness and simplicity, like parts of the constructionhave been supplied with the same reference numerals.

In such drawing:

Figure 1 is a, section through a bearing and its cooperating piston orplunger showing the new style and type of fluid-pressure sealing-means;and

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of Figure l presenting thenew sealing-device on a greater scale.

By reference to such drawing, it will be apparent that the inner surfaceof bearing 10, mounted in any suitable manner in a cylinder or housing Hand which bearing containing the fluid under pressure to be sealedaccommodates the round, reciprocatory piston or.plunger 12, whosemovement is occasioned either by the fluid-pressure or by other meansnot shown, such bearing having an enlargement I3 internallyscrew-threaded for a portion of its length from its mouth at H, theinner end of such portion of increased diameter constituting or forminga circular, forwardly-facing, sloping shoulder 15 with an outer roundportion It at a right-angle to the axis common to the piston andhearing.

The actual pressure-sealing means comprises a plurality of nested orinterfitted, circular, sheetmetal, resilient or elastic reeds eachhaving a truncated-cone, inner, operative section I! and a flat, outer,outstanding, round part 18 with thin, round, :apertured spacers I!between such latter portions 18 only, as is clearly presented in Figure2, the construction being such that the inner active parts 11 of thereeds are either spaced from one another slightly or are in contactface-to- Iace with one another.

An externally screw-threaded, ring-shaped bearing retainer or clampingelement 2! is screwed in such threaded recess of'bearing l0 and itsinner end is provided with an integral extension 22 which engages andfirmly holds the portions I! of the reeds and their intervening spacersI! in place against the shoulder [8.

It will be noted that such continuous, circular extension 22 istransversely in the form of an arc so that in tightening down theclamping member 2|, by any suitable wrench or other implement, a springaction is obtained in part 22 that is very desirable, particularly whenelongation takes place, or the construction of the seal-housingcontracts or expands due to temperature changes.

In other words, it is possible to design the shape and size of the are22 so as to obtain the action of a very stiff spring against the reeds,the form as actually used at the present time having a bending member orspring action of approximately .005 inch at such point with a 50- tonapplied pressure.

By thinning the hold-down member 2| at such region 22,- this confiningor holding-down pressure can be decreased, or, by increasing thethickness at such point 22 the pressure can be aug-' mented.

Those acquainted with this art will understand that the invention is notnecessarily limited to the precise and exact details set forth above andthat reasonable modifications may be availed of without departure fromthe heart and essence of the invention and without the loss or sacrificeof any of its material benefits and advantages.

I claim:

1. In a pressure-sealing means for use between a pair 01' relativelyreciprocatory cylindrical members, one of said members having an annularshoulder with one surface portion thereof sloping toward the cylindricalsurface of the other member at an acute angle thereto, and an adjacentannular surface portion thereof at a greater angle to the axis or saidmember, a plurality of thin, circular, nested, resilient reeds of ashape conforming to and bearing on said shoulder and reed pressing meanspressing said reeds against said shoulder to hold them in place to actedgewise on the other member, the novel feature that said pressing-meansincludes an annular spring portion curved longitudinally oi the pressingmeans and engaging and acting as a holding spring on said reeds againstsaid other portion of said shoulder, said annular pressing means havingscrew-threaded engagement with said shouldered member whereby its springpressing action on the reeds is adjustable.

2. In a pressure sealing means for use between a pair of relativelyreciprocatory coaxial cylindrical members, the outer of saidreciprocatory members having an inner annular shoulder provided with asurface portion inclined inwardly towards the inner reciprocatory memberat an acute angle thereto, said shoulder also being provided withanother surface portion at a greater angle to the axis of said othermember out of line with and meeting said inclined surface portion, abundle of thin, circular nested, resilie'nt reeds of a shape conformingto and bearing against said portions of the shoulder, and an annularreed pressing member surrounding the said inner reciprocatory member andengaging said bundle of reeds to clamp the bundle between the reedpressing means and said other surface of the shoulder, i'ree edges ofthe reeds being in contact with said inner reciprocatory member, thenovel feature that said pressing member has a terminal annular springportion integral therewith and elastically yieldabie longitudinally ofthe pressing member, the outer end of said spring portion engaging thebundle of reeds and acting as a holding spring pressing said bundleagainst said other surface portion of the shoulder, said annularpressing member having a screw threaded engagement with the shoulderedmember wherebythe spring pressing action of said reed pressing membermay be ad- .iusted.

WALTER KASTEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,044,787 minglofl Nov. 19, 19121,200,966 Minning Oct. 10, 1916 1,634,891 Trout July 5, 1927 2,300,331Avigdor Oct. 27, 1942 2,404,664 Skinner July 23, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 29,719 Great Britain Dec. 24, 1913 673,838 France1932

